Skip to content

Dr Skin: Trailer

November 2, 2026 · 3 min

Show notes

The creams, serums and pills that millions rely on today to make themselves younger have a dark past. In the 1950s in America, a doctor arrived in a prison in Philadelphia. His name was Albert Kligman. What he saw before him when he looked around the prison was not prisoners but test subjects. In his words “acres of skin”. He set up a testing programme and started working with some of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in America. But his commercial operation at the jail would stretch far beyond cosmetics...

Dr Skin is a Samizdat Audio production for the BBC World Service.

Presenter: Alzo Slade Series producer: Tom Fuller Series editor: Joe Sykes Sound design: Richard Ward Commissioning senior producers: Anne Dixey and Sarah Green Commissioning editor: Jon Manel

All episodes of World of Secrets

Settings

Display

Language

Decides which stations you see first on the home page.

History

Recently played stations and episodes and your latest searches are only stored in this browser.

Notifications

A short notice when a podcast you follow has a new episode. Turn off single podcasts with the bell on their page.

Account

Save favorites – in the app and on the website.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Open search
Space
Play or pause
← →
In the player: back 15 s, forward 30 s (episodes) · in a row: next tile
↑ ↓
In a row: target within the tile
Home / End
In a row: first or last tile
Esc
Close window or menu
?
This overview
Now playing

Go to station page

Play next

    Add episodes with “Play next” – they play after the current episode.